Strand feeding mechanism



v April 9, 1935. H. STAUB I 1,997,473

STRAND FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Ju1y 17, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i g9 l I 57 Herman wb,

\ :J/ 7 BY 75 TTORNELIZ 79 59 50 April 9,1935.

STRAND FEEDING MECHANISM Filed July 17, 1934 I 4 Shets-Sheet 2 f FIE-- 1- ?J E--5 9 IN V EN TOR:

lia'man Shvub,

H. STAUB 1,997,473 I BY A TTORN April 9,1935. H. STAUB 1,997,473

STRAND FEEDING MECHANISM Filed July 17, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 1 5.15.- Fla--15..

96 I 90 97 h i]. i 9J0 l5 11.1.5 5 11/ INVENTOR. Emu Swab 6% ATTORNE Patented Apr. 9, 935

[ UNITED STATE I s'rlmm)" FEEDING MECHANISM Herman Staub, Wyomissing, Pa., assignor to Textile Machine -Works, Wyomissing,Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania J Applicatibn July 17, 1934, serial No. 735,615 g a 13Clainis. My invention relates to strand oryarn operating devices for. textile machines, especially high speed braiding machines and the like, and particularly to means for feedin guiding and ten- 5 sioning the yarn, and stopping the machine upon the depletion of a yarn package.

In certain machines, wherein relatively long lengths of the "yarn or other strand being fed to the machine extend between the source of strand supply or package,,and thestrand-working, position, these strands are so related to machine parts and ;to other yarns that, at the com pletion of unwinding of astrandfrom its, spool, alongsection of yarn in slack condition becomes jammed in the machine parts and entangled with other yarns. This condition, causes substantial loss in the labor expended in reconditioning the machine, and in the interruption of production, and also, even where seriouswjamming and entanglement do notoccur, the free end of the yarn of the depleted package may, ,before the" machine stops, feed into the machine among the machine parts, out of the thread guides and tensioning means, and away from the loading position or packagecarrier to a position in.- accessible for splicing or tying renewal packaged Jw- One object of my invention is to provide novel and improved strand feeding means .toavoid jamming the machine and entangling the yarns, and to stop the machine, upon the depletion of a package, with the yarn thereof still in. opera parts, and an end of the yarn adjacent to the 3 yarn package carrier or leading position accessible for connection to the leading end of the yarn of a renewal package.

In certain types of textile machines, especially high speed rotary braiders, the centrifugal force set up by the relatively high speed of the rotating parts of such machines tends to causebinding or distortion of certain parts of the strandfeeding mechanism, thus resulting in failure of these parts to properlyoperate under conditions ofyarn breakaga depletion ofthe yarn package and the like. i

It is, therefore, another object of the invention to provide strand-feeding means of the aforesaid character I which is substantially unaffected in its operation by the centrifugal force acting on the various parts thereof, and inwhich quick and f shown in Fig. 12, taken as'seenby looking in the positive action of the strand feeding means .will be assured, notwithstanding the high speeds at ,which the machine may be operated.

to the yarn of a 1 machine embodying the invention; Figs. 2 and}; arjeviews taken in the. direction""30 .being enlarged; tive relation to its guides and other machine I Additional objects of the inventionreside providingcertain'novel features of construction and assembly, guiding the yarn from one carrier through the intermediary of another carrier to 1 the fabricating position, facilitating the loading. of successive yarn packages to the same carrier, 3 better utilizing an effect obtained by securing the inner end oftheyarn of a package to a core, thereof, providing and improving the operation. ,of certain parts extending vertically or parallel to the axis. of rotation of a horizontally-rotating 1o carrier support, constructing a combined yarn reserve feed, latch andyarn guide structure asv a single piece or wire like unit, andrendering the device generally-an improvement inits field, by causingit to be simple and durable in con-' struction, economical to manufacture, and efIective in its operation. a 5

With' these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments of the 1 invention shown in the accompanying drawings,

my invention resides in thenovel elements of on;

struction, mechanisms and combination oflpartsf, in cooperative relationship, as, hereinafter more i particularlypointed out in the claims. I In the drawings: f Figure l'is a topplan view offportions of. the. lower support of ,a high-speed rotary braiding of the arrows 2 and 3, respectivelmin Fig. 1; Fig. 3 1T;

ture of Fig. 3, but on areduced scale relative thereto, illustrating parts thereof in different opcrating positions;

Fig. 6 is a view taken substantially. along the line 6-6 of Fig.1, with theyarn package indicatedin broken lines; T v

Fig.7 is a view taken-substantially along the .40 Iinel lofFigQ3;-

Fig. 8; is *a viewtaken substantially along the 1 line 8 -8 of Fig.1; 1 4

.Fig .91is aview taken substantially along' the line 9-9 of Fig. 3; .T A

FigsQlO and 11 are s'imilarto Fig. 9, illustrating 11 the parts thereof in different operating position Fig.12 is aview similar to aportio-n of Fig. 3', of a modified formof theinventionj Fig". l3 is a viewof a modification ofthedevice direction of the arrow l3 in said figure;

Fig. 14 is a view. takensubstantially along the line l4--l4 of Fig. 12;"and e Figs. 4 and 5am views of a1 peacet me struc Fig. 15 is an enlarged view taken substantially the braiding point. The braiding formeris adjacent to the upper or inner set, thereby requiring short lengths only of yarn from the packages of such set, and long yarn sections from the lower or outer set of packages to the braidingpoint.

In connection with the lower carrier support structure of the'machine illustrated, each of the long yarn strands, from the package to the braiding point, extends from its spool or bobbin on the lower support, over yarn guides, and is provided with a tensioning device which stops the machine when the yarn breaks or runs oil the spool. ram 24 the tensioning device, the yarn extendspast a plate or templet device'jfor deflecting it laterally ina sinuous path; as'it feeds longitudinally; causing it to have interweaving braiding movement relative to the packages and yarns of the upper support.

In pursuing its course, the yarn from each. lower carrier extends over and about, and crosses, a great many machine p-arts,such as bearings, fiiers,

the'yarn guides of the upper support etc., so that, when it breaks or feeds off its package, entanglement and jamming may occur, which occasion considerably greater trouble and expense than when .a yarn of an upper carrier breaks or feeds off its spool..

The, feeding member herein relating to the longer yarn being vertically disposed, and being difierently affected by the centrifugal forces and other operating eifeots of the machine, means.

areprovided to latch the feeding member oi the lower support stopping mechanism by a more positive action and to support the feeding memher by the latch whereby the latter may operate effectively in accordance with the new surrounding conditions and eifects.

Also, in the lower support structure of the present invention, the tension rods and reserve yarn feed elements arev of such character and are so actuated along pathstransversely to the direction of centrifugal forces of the support as,

a unit,,*that unless compensated for, as by the invention, the, action of 'the parts, and of the machine, as a whole would be ineffective, certain of the adverse eifectswhichwould be present, if

not comp'ensated for in accordance with the in--. vention, being arching or bowing tendencies of the elongated rods and elements, and a binding action between sliding parts transversely to the direction of slide. l l For the sake of simplicity, only those parts of, a rotary braider necessary to an understanding of the invention are shown, the various other parts'and their manner of operation being well known in the art.

Referring to Fig. 1;.a main lower decksupport or base 20 journalled on, and rotatable about, a vertical standard 2 l supports about the perimeterthereof, anannular series of spaced; brackets 23, two of which are shown. Each bracketuzii comprises a main body or arm portion 24 extending substantially radially in a horizontal plane, from an inner end portion or base 26 that issecured to the rotary base 20, as by bolts '21., The portion 24 has horizontal outer and inner side arms 29 and 30, respectively,,extendingin the direction of rotation, as indicated by the arrow A. At the outer end of the arms 29, a pivot pin 32 is provided for one end of a spindle 33, the other end of which is normally held by a detent member 35. The latter is pivoted, as by a pin 31, to the arm 30 and normally biased to latching positionby a leaf spring 38 that is suitably secured to the base 26 as by a screw 39. Y

Bosses 40- and 4|, Fig. 1, atthe topside of the body 24, pivotally support therebetween a shaft 43, on which are mounted an arm 45,, a spring .46 and a nut 41. The nut 41 has notches 49 for engagement with a lug 58 on the boss 40 to adjust the torsional tension of the springdfi between the nut 47 and the brake arm 45, which normally en-' gages a yarn package 52 on the spindle 33, as a damper orsteadying means to prevent loose uncontrolled rotation of the package, and is limited in its biased direction by a stop lug 53 on the arm inner core or rod 54 having a pivot end portion As shown in Fig.6, the spindle 33 comprises an end portion 58 for the reception of' a nut 59'having a stud-like projection or latch portion 69 for cooperation with the detent member 35. Ball race thrust bearings fi2 andli3 surround the rod 54 having enlarged heads oppositely facingagainst the bearing 58 and the nut 53, and are positioned by a spacer tubefifi. Ball race members orsleeves 6i and 68, for cooperation with balls 69 and the bearings'BZ and 63,resp'ectively, surround the rod 55 and have'annular outer-surface grooves into l2 of a sheet-metal outer sleeve 13 are pressed, the latter resting, at one end, against a washer-like disc l5 disposed around a portion of the rod 54 which correspondingly-grooved portions TI and;

a vertical standard Ti having-ashort section below the arm 29 that is bifurcated at'Tla toreceive a detent member 18 on a pivot pin 79, which pin is surrounded bya spring 86 and a springadjusting nut 8| for controlling the movement of the detent member about its pivot. The detent member i8 has a notch portion 83 and a portion 8 projecting therefrom for engagement with a usual stop motion lever 86, Fig. ll,.of the braiding machine. a i V V i a In the standard 7'! isa. grooveor slideway 88, which, inthis form of the invention, is of rectangular cross section, for the reception of a rod or element 90 of like cross section filling the groove with a smooth machine fit. The rod 99, carrying at its lower end, a combined thread guide and latch member 92, in the form of a headed pin projecting therefrom, is retainedlaterally in the.

groove, as by a sheet-metal angleplate 93. and screws 94, and is limited in itsdownward movement bya screw disposed verticallyin the top end of the rod and having, its'head larger in diameter than the groove forengagernent with the standard; The latch member 92 is normally held by the detent 78 against thenotch 83 of the latter, as in Figs. 2, 3, 9 and 10.

A vertical tension rod 96 is'supported in laterally-projecting bearing portions 97 and, on the upper and lower sections, respectively, of the standard 17, these bearing portions 37 and 98 being preferably provided with hardened wearing sleeves 99 and Hill, respectively. A helical spring I62 surrounds, the tension rod'96 between the upper bearing 91 and a cotter pin I03, or'likedethelportiont i of the detent moves into the path vicegon the rod'tobias the latter downwardly; .tive to each other'along the rod inacoordance with the material and the cross-section of the i The rod 96v carriesa guide or element I04 at its i upperend by which the. rod is normally suspended above its lowermost position from a station ary guide I05on1the standard 11 against the actionof the spring I82, by a yarn I06, fromthe yarn; package 52 of the bracketfollowing the bracket on which the rod is disposed, this arrangement? of the. yarn being clearly illustrated in Fig. 1,

wherein the yarn 106 extends from the package 52, at the upper part ofthe figure, to a stationary guide peye 07. on the bracket preceding in the direction of rotation indicatedby the arrow'A,. thence downwardly, see Fig. 3, .to and around the combined latch and yarn guide 92, from the guide 92 upwardly to the guide I05 and from the guide 194 to a rod 109, see Fig. 1, on the bracket from which the yarn started. Passing around this rod I09, ithe yarnproceeds along a section I I0 thereof toward :the; braiding point, in doing which it passes through a sinuous guide slot, between notshown. This yarn therefore travels a very much greater distance from the package to the braiding former than .does ,a yarnfromv an uppercarrier, and in so doing passes over and about a considerably greater number and complication ofparts such thatbreakage thereof, or the run ning of the inner end length off the bobbin into the machine, are more likely toresult in serious trouble and delay.

The latter objection is prevented by the inser tion intothe length of yarn, from the package to i the braiding former, an extra length or reserve supplyB, Fig. 3, made up of a section 0 extending from the guide eye Hi! to the combined latch and guide 92, and of a section at extending from the guide 92 to the top guide or suspension element Hi l on the tension rod 96. With this arrangee merit, when the braiding proceeds to the end of a package to which they inner end of a yarn is tied, the entire pull of the yarn is extended be. tween the yarn feeding into the braid at the braiding former and the then stationary end of the yarn on the bobbin spindle, thus tending to first straighten the yarn free from all bends preparatoryto breaking it, if the machine is notstopped in time. The machine,.however, is stopped .be-'

forebreaking the yarn, by the action tending'to straighten out the loopor bend formed by the. yarnsectionsc and d, which tendency trips the latch 92 from the detent l8, thus freeing thefextra length of yarn for feeding to the machine While of the stop-motion lever 86 and the machine is stopped, Fig. 11.

tion lever 86. i

In the, above-described structure, as better illustrated by Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5, the elongated" standard 11, the rod 90 and the rod 96 are disposed at right angles to the radial centrifugal forces'which therefore tend to arch or bow these members. The standard 1'! isconstructed to be inherently of sufiicient strength to sufilciently resist such bowing but, since the permissible crosssectional areas of the rods 98 and 96 are more or less limited; the bowing tendency thereof is compensated for in other ways. In the case of. the tension rod 96, the bowing is suificiently prevented by proportioning the le'ngthsof the bearings 91 andQBalong the rod and the spacing thereof rela-- revolves.

rod. Since this rod is'lsubject to more or less continuous longitudinal reciprocation during operation, to delicately adjust the yarn tension, it

is desirable to compensate for the above-mentioned bowing. tendency, but not in the manner in which this is done with therod 88. Since the latter operates only when the thread runs oif a bobbin, and is thereby subjected to a strong actuating force, equal to the tensile strengthof the yarn, it may: be, as shown, completely encased by position thereof, with its exposed side farther i removed from the axis about whichthe carrier Inview of. the more or less constant reciprocation ofthe tension rod 96, in effecting delicate adfliers, and through and adjacent to other parts,

rod 96 such that, astheqrod is thrown by the con v siderable centrifugal force set up by the speed of rotation of the machine against the sleeve '99,:

the rodengages the sleeve over a substantially minimum area thereof commensurate with the maximumclearance which it is feasible to have between thesleeve bore" and the rod. In other Words, an arc of the cross-sectional perimeter'oi the rod so impinges an arc of the cross-sectional perimeter of the sleeve as to approach point contact therewith, as at a positionE, onthe centrifugal line of force represented by an arrow F,

through such point between the arcs. This is a reciprocablecylindrical rod. and its. cylindrical.

bearing or journal in whichthe latter engages the bearing, substantially entirely around therod, with a close sliding fit.

shownalso in Fig. 1, to thereby cause. the rod to approach vertical line contact with thesleeve,

in contradistinction tothe usual relation between i s The; construction of s the invention inthis feature also. prevents sticking of the rod to the'bearing from lubricant which becomes gummy from 'inactivityof the machine.

The sleeve. IOU of the lower bearing 98 is constructed-similarlyto the sleeve 99, as illustrated in Fig. 15, and similarlycooperateswith the rod In the form ofthe invention illustrated in Figs.

12, 13 andl, inuwhich corresponding parts are designated. by corresponding. reference characters, the, onlyivariation fromthe above-described structure resides in a modification of the, rod of the previous figures, and of the associated partsin the standard. In this] modification, in the place of the groove 88 whichembraces the rod 90, there is a. ridge 88a whichis embraced by a rod or plunger 90a in the form of a wire of inverted U-shape having long; and short legs H5 and I I6, respectively, disposed in grooves H1 and H8. The groove H1 is of substantiallychannel section, whereas-the groove H8 is of the rabbet type. A plate 93a, corresponding to the angle plate 93 of the previous figures, is secured in posia tion, as by screwss la which extend into tapped openings in the ridge 88a to hold the rod or plunger 90a in relatively free vertically reciprocable position on ,the ridge 88a. V

I of a reserve supply of which, altho of more or less complex form, is easy to provide. It forms this end to have a latch portion I20, for cooperation with a detent' 18a,

and a yarn-guide or eyelet l2! for cooperation with the yarn lll6, this detent also having a notch portion Sta-for the latch E20, and a projection 84a for coaction with the machine stop.- motion lever. the rod 95a, the latch I20 and the yarn guide 52! may be all in one unitary integral piece of. standard wire, and the laterallyspaced relation of the legs I l 5 and I I6 provides a wide base, of low friction-surface contact with the standard, ,to prevent turning of'the plunger about its vertical axis, and displacement of the latch and yarn-guide portions. In operation, the structure ofFigs. 12, 13 and 14 is practicallythe same as that above described.

oficourse, the improvements specifically shown and described, by which I obtain the above results, can be; changed and modified in various Ways without departing from the scope of the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a device, for a high speed rotary braiding machine including upper and lower oppositely rotatable package supports in which yarn from the lower support is laterally moved sinuously under and over alternate packages on the upper support as the yarn is fed to the braiding point,

the combination with an element for stopping the machine, of means including a device for maintaining a reserve supply of yarn between a package on said lower support and the braiding point,

and a member for engagement by the yarn to be moved thereby when the yarn tension exceeds a predetermined value toactuate the stopping element-and to release the reserve supply of strand to feed the same to the machine until the latter stopsp 2. A braiding carrier for a high speed rotary braiding machine comprising a rotary element, a bearing support carried by, and radially offset from the axis 'of rotation of, said element and having a journal aperture substantially. parallel to said element axis, a yarn tension rod longitudinally reciprocablelin said journal aperture, the centrifugal force of the rotary element tending to bind the rod laterally against the bearing support in the journal aperture with a force opposing the yarn tension force, and means, for compensating for saidopposing force, wherein the peripheral contour of the rod is sufiiciently smaller than the peripheral contour of the journal aperture to reduce the peripheral contact between the rod and the bearing support thereby to eitect free sliding coaction between the rod and its said bearing. support.

3. In a braiding machine, the combination including an element for stopping the machine, a plurality of spaced yarn supports and means including a member mounted on one of said supports for cooperation with a yarn on another of said supports, said means being responsive to predetermined tension in the cooperating yarn for operating said element tofstop the machine and to move said member in adirection to cause feed yarn to themachine until the machine stops.

4. A strand carrier, for a braidingmachineincluding a high-speed rotatable support, comprisinga bearing means for carriage bythe support including a cylindrical boresparallel to, and radi ally offsetfrom', .theaxis of rotationzof the sup-.- 7

port, a tension .rod supported by said means and having acylindricaljournal in said bore for axial g reciprocation relative'thereto in response to relae. tively delicate variationsof strand tension, the radial forcesof the support" caused' by rotation;

thereof. forcing the journalxtransversely against. the bore surface to tend. to frictionally bind 'it' against said surface to retardits strand-tension-.

ing reciprocationthe bearing bore being of sufiiciently greater. circumference than the circumference of the journal to reduce contact between thejournal and the bore surface to substantially a minimum.

5. In combination, a-support, a machine-stopping member, a bracket on the support including a vertical standard ,a-vertically slidable member onthe standard including a strand-guide portion, a latch carried by the standardnormally holding the slidable member, the latch being responsive to excessive tensioninthe strand forrelease from the slidable member to actuate themachine-stopping memberand to release the slidable member to move vertically to -feed a reserve supply of strandto the machine until the machine stops.

6. In a braiding machine, means for feeding yarn from a source of supply to the braiding point, an elementfor stoppingthe machine, and

means including a latch and "a member supported by the latch and engaged by the yarn for release from the latch when the yarn exceeds a predetermined tension, said release causing the latch to actuate said element to stop themachine' and'the member to move'in a direction to feed a reserve supply of yarn to the braiding point until the machine stops. t

7. In a device for a high-speed rotary braiding machine including upper and lower oppositely rotating package-supports, the combination with the-lower support comprising a member for stopping the machine, a peripheral series of spaced brackets on said support'and each having a Ver ticalstandard, a vertically slidable member on the standard including a yarn-guide portion, a latch carried by the standard'normally holding said slidabie member, said latch being responsiveto excessive tension in the yarnforrelease from thesIiding-member to actuate said stop member and to release the sliding member to move vertically to feed a reserve supply of yarn to the braiding point until the machine stops.

8.-In ahigh-speed rotary braiding machine embodying upper and lower package-supports oppositely rotatable in horizontal planes, and a member for stopping the machine, the combina-j tion, in the lower support, comprising a main base, a series ofbrackets spaced v peripherally thereon each having side arms for supporting a spindle and a vertical standard, the verticalv standard having laterally oifset vertical slideways and supporting a plurality of yarn guides for yarn from another bracket, a tension rod supported in one of said slideways having a top hook and a bottom operating portion for said stop member, a vertical slide element in another of said slideways having a guide for said yarn and a bottom latch portion, to the standard normally holding, and held by, said slide element but responsive to excessive tension in said yarn to be released by said slide element to operate said stop member and to release saidelement to cause feed of said yarn until the machine stops. i

9. In a braiding machine or the like, means'for feeding yarn from a yarn packageto thebraiding and a latch pivotedpoint, an element for stopping the machine, and

means including an elongated guide support having laterally-spaced longitudinal slideways and a member of substantially Ur-shape having its legs on said slideways embracing a portion of the guide support therebetween, said member being engaged by the yarn and movable thereby to actuate said stop element and to feed yarn until the machine stops.

10... Carrierstructure for feeding a strand from a source of supply to a braiding machine or; the

like, comprising a yarn support, means for feeding yarn from the} supportto a yarn-working position, means for stopping the machine, an

elongated upright guide support including upper and lower bearing portions and a slideway laterally of said bearing portions, a yarn guide adjacent to the stop of said guide support, an upright tension rod in said upper and lower bearing portions having a yarn guide adjacent to its upperend and a portion adjacent to its lower end for actuating saidstopping means, a latch member on said guide support adjacent to the lower end thereof having a portion foractuating said stopping means, and an elongated member on said slideway having a yarn guide portion and a cooperating latch portion adjacent to its lower end.

11. Carrier structure for feeding a strand from a source of supply to la braiding machine or the like,,comprising a yarn support,means for feeding yarn from the support to the yarn-working posi-' tion, means for stopping the machine, a yarn tensioning element having a portion for actuating said stopping means, a latch mounted on said support having a portion for actuating said stop ping means, and a member normally held'by said latch and cooperating with said tension element in response to excessive tension in. the yarn for release from the latch and. movement in a direction to cause feed of a reserve supply of yarnto said mechanism until the mechanism stops, said member being formed as a single-piecewire-like unit bent to form a thread guide and a cooperating latch portion for said latch.

12. Carrier structure for feeding a strand from i a source of supply to a braiding machine or the 13. In a high-speed rotary braiding machine, the combination with a support rotatable about a vertical axis,of a standard on the supportradially offset fromthe vertical axis ofrotation thereof,

anda vertical cylindrical tension rod journalled near its ends in cylindrical boresof bearings on- ,the standard for vertical reciprocation relative to the standard in response to relatively delicate changes of tension in the strand, the centrifugal forces of the. support forcing the tension rod transversely to its length against itsbearings on the standard to tend to .frictionally bind it against the bearings to retard its strand-tensioning reciprocation, the forces also tending to cause tially a minimum, and the bearings cooperating with the rod to prevent arching thereof. i HERMAN STAUB.

the rod to arch between its journals, the bearing bores being of greater circumference than the circumference of the rod to reduce contact be tween the journals and the bearings tosubstarb. 

